Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about the physical challenges he faced during his hard-fought victory over Karen Khachanov in the fourth round of the Italian Open.
The world No. 3 battled to a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win in a two-hour, 28-minute clash—his toughest test yet since returning from injury.
Post-Injury Challenge in Rome
Alcaraz entered the tournament with concerns over his fitness after pulling out of the Madrid Masters due to a hamstring and adductor injury. He had picked up the injury in his Barcelona Open final loss to Holger Rune.
Wearing a black brace on his upper right leg, the 22-year-old managed earlier wins against Dusan Lajovic (6-3, 6-3) and Laslo Djere (7-6(2), 6-2) before facing the in-form Khachanov.
“It feels amazing to get the win at the end against a really big and really tough guy like Khachanov,” Alcaraz told Tennis TV after the match.
“Physically, I struggled a bit. No pain in any particular area, but I was just tired. The match was really tough. I had to run a lot, so I’m proud of the way I fought for every ball.”
Mental Recovery and Focus
Alcaraz admitted to losing focus midway through the second set, which allowed Khachanov to mount a comeback.
“At a break up in the second set, I probably lost focus. He started to play really well, but I was happy to reset and come into the third set strong. I just kept fighting.”
In his post-match press conference, the Spaniard praised Khachanov’s level of play:
“Khachanov pushed me to the limit on every point. I had to stay present, wait for my chances, and just fight. That meant running a lot and never letting up.”
On Early Starts and Staying Positive
The match started at 11 a.m.—an unusually early time for Alcaraz, who admitted he isn’t a morning person.
“Honestly, I don’t like waking up early, but today I had to. I tried to find the positives—finishing early gives me time to recover and enjoy Rome a bit.”
“Early matches can be hard to start strong, but I think I handled it well. Hopefully, I don’t play too many more early ones, but if I have to, I’ll be ready.”
Quick Stats: Carlos Alcaraz’s Milestones
- Reached his first Italian Open quarter-final
- Now among the youngest players—alongside Rafael Nadal—to reach the quarter-finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events
- Continues his pursuit of the world No. 2 ranking
